Getting Carried Away by Geonosians
by Slowcoach Campbell
Summary: What happens to the Clones carried away by Geonosians? During the episodes Landing at Point Rain, Weapons Factory and Legacy of Terror many a clone is seen whisked away in the clutches of Geonosian attackers, never to be seen again. Where did they end up?
1. Introduction

What happens to the clones' carried away by Geonosians?

What indeed, during the episodes _Landing at Point Rain_, _Weapons Factory_ and _Legacy of Terror_ many a clone is seen whisked away in the clutches of Geonosian attackers, never to be seen again. What happened to them, where were they taken, did any of them survive? As it happens one did, Sergeant Hawk of the 501st Legion, a very unusual clone, a coward and a liar; here follows his story in his own words.

Contains minor plot changes.

I'm sorry if at times I just start repeating the episodes, but I'm afraid it's sometimes necessary.

I do not own star wars; the character of Sergeant Hawk was inspired by George McDonald Fraser's character Harry Flashman, of the _Flashman Papers_.

Please review, I love getting feedback.


	2. We Weren't All Perfect

Chapter 1: We weren't all perfect

Clones troopers are the perfect soldiers; brave, loyal, strong, dependable, fearless, and both absolutely obedient and able to adapt to anything a battlefield can throw at them. No army of what you might think of as _real_ humans could ever equal them, because there were no cowards, there was no incompetence, no weakness, and no man not ready to charge without a seconds hesitation into a mincing machine of blaster fire if the order was given. At least that's what it said on the tin! Naturally there was the odd klutz, the clone who occasionally questioned his officer's decisions, but nothing serious. This was not because the dear old Kaminoans were incapable of making mistakes, although they'd like us to think so, but simply because any clone discovered to be truly defective was liquidated soon after birth (if you can call it _birth_). No defective clone with anything more than the most minor of flaws ever passed the Kaminoans systematic tests. None, except me of course.

You see, I am a coward, a man who would happily watch his nearest and dearest dragged away and butchered by Tusken Raiders, as long as I was able to keep my own skin in one piece. "A cowardly clone?" I hear you cry "I've never heard of such a thing". This is because when it comes to creating the perfect soldier, cowardice is about as serious a fault as it is possible to get, and is something that the Kaminoans look out for even more than individual thought. Such a man as I should have been bumped off by my long necked creators at an early age, and I would have been to, if not for my most prominent talent, other than that of running and hiding; I'm a very very good liar. So consequently when the time came for my examination and I was strapped into a chair and shown footage of a battlefield, complete with explosions, mangled bodies and an awful lot of blaster fire, I lied like a politician for all I was worth! As I knew the Kaminoan doctors and psychiatrist were monitoring my heart rate and closely studying my reactions, I, instead of wetting myself and gibbering in terror, which is what I felt like doing, plastered a great big grin on my face and said to the nearest one "it is the greatest honour a clone can hope for to die in battle for the Republic". Would you believe it, they bought it; the docs put my heart rate down to an eagerness to get into the fray and passed me.

Throughout my time at the academy I was forever terrified that one of my brothers or an instructor would realize that clone CC-7713 was as lily livered as the day was long, and so I went out of my way to appear as warlike and heroic as possible. I may have over done it a bit, because by the time it came to graduate I had earned the name Hawk, the rank of sergeant and a reputation for fearlessness. I first saw action on Christophsis, and was terrified almost to the brink of insanity; after that I fought, when I couldn't avoid it, on Ryloth (damn fine looking native girls, unpleasant local wildlife), Orto Plutonia (I still jump out of my skin whenever I see a snowman) and Naboo (vile tunnel fighting, but resulted in several weeks in a lovely safe hospital station).

These and most, if not all, of the battles of my long and inglorious military carrier have been the subjects of far more detailed and accurate documentaries and narratives than I could ever hope to write, so I won't bore you by repeating them. However, as far as I know I am the only clone to have survived being seized by Geonosians and carried, kicking and screaming I assure you, away into the unknown. I therefore, for posterity, have decided to tell the tale and to break the habit of a life time by being entirely truthful about my experiences. I shall not weary you any longer with this lengthy back-story and shall begin. Sitting in my study, from the safety of old age, I lean back in my desk chair, close my eyes, and drift back through the decades to a hot dusty afternoon, on that most monstrous of planets Geonosis, were an air-armada of republic gunships is making its way towards the designated landing zone, bearing with it a score of brave Jedi and many hundreds of courageous clones (and yours faithfully who felt as if he was going to be sick with terror).


	3. Crashing Twice in One Day

Chapter 2: Crashing twice in one day

Until recently (I haven't the foggiest idea what these New Republic blighters do about battlefield troop transports) the Empire used AT-ATs to get its soldiers to the front, abandoning flying transports in fire zones for the most part. Slower but safer and I was never happier about a change in the armed forces in my life. If I had a credit for every time I was shot down in a bloody LAAT I could have bought Kamino by now! I've been in a collapsing AT-AT a couple of times too of course and it's a pretty nasty experience, especially trying to escape the resulting inferno, but it hasn't got anything on plummeting a few thousand feet or so at speed.

As I was a sergeant in the 501st I was under the command of General Skywalker and was part of his squadron of gunships making for the landing site that fateful day on Geonosis. We were the second squadron to leave the hanger of the _Resolute,_ after Kenobi's lads, and we'd been airborne for less than a minute before we found ourselves up to our eyeballs in antiaircraft fire and being strafed by Geonosian fighters. Through the slits in the doors on either side of the gunship we could see a virtual hailstorm of purple laser bolts and explosions, mixed with retaliatory green bursts from the spherical defensive turrets mounted on the undersides of the Larties.

Trooper Click laughed, looking round at us, and said "Ha! Good thing those bugs can't aim!" Now as far as I'm concerned you might as well say _I think we've lost him_ whilst being chased by the killer in a horror movie, it's just asking for trouble. I was on the point of telling the gung-ho idiot to keep his witticisms to himself, but I never got the chance. Before I could even open my mouth the ship suddenly exploded into a fireball, the compartment in which we were standing instantly becoming an inferno. A friend of mine, an ex-Imperial engineer who studies obsolete weapons of war as a hobby (I've told him often enough that he really needs to get out more), informs me that the Geonosian's probably managed to get a direct hit on our fuel reserve. This may well be the case, but I didn't know it at the time and it wouldn't have been a whole lot of help to me if I had.

The blinding red hot roar of the explosion was quickly drowned out by the far louder roar of the wind as the left hand door of the transport vanished into the abyss, followed closing by a dozen of my unfortunate comrades. As I was sucked towards certain death I seized the door frame of the gunship and hung on for a brief second, screaming like an Acklay stepping on a drawing pin, before losing my grip and plummeting shrieking to my death. At least I should have died, and would have done so to, if I didn't happen to be the luckiest man in existence, something I only dare say now from the safe refuge of retirement. Instead of falling several thousand feet to the desert floor below, I instead fell a mere (mere!) fifty feet before smashing into the windscreen of the LAAT following behind ours. I lay spread-eagled on the reinforced glass of the cockpit for a few seconds, the pilot starring back at me in shocked astonishment, before the wind wrenched me sideways and I would have been whisked passed the shuttle in an instant, before continuing on to my final destination after my unscheduled stop, if I had not grasped desperately at some protruding handle or other and hung on like grim death.

Clinging on and sobbing in terror I was suddenly aware that the gunships door beside me had slid back and before I knew what was happening I felt as though a great invisible hand had seized me and pulled me inside. The door shut behind me and luckily the shouting and confusion of the ships occupants was loud enough to drown out my weeping; and by the time order had been restored and I clambered shakily to my feet, there wasn't so much as a tremble in my voice as I saluted and said "thank you very much general, commander". After I was wrenched inside the gunship and had recovered my wits I realized what had happened, the two Jedis on board had saved my hide by using the force to drag me to safety, and I was never gladder to see that bloodthirsty madman Skywalker, or his reckless Padwan Ahoska, in my life.

A dozen clones, including Captain Rex, and the two Jedis gathered round me, all either congratulating me on my good fortune, asking me to explain what had happened or enquiring after my health.

"Very cool!" shouted a trooper I recognized as Fives, patting me on the back energetically "I hope one of the exterior cameras caught that, it must have looked unbelievable!"

"How did you do it?" asked Skywalker, as if I was a magician who had just performed a magic trick at his birthday party and he wanted to know how it was done.

I gave an easy shrug "just aimed for the gunship sir, sort of angled myself through the air so that I could grab on if you know what I mean" a big fat lie but no matter. "Besides" I added, filling my voice with marshal zeal "I wasn't about to go down before I'd had a slap at these damn bugs sir!"

"Are you hurt Hawk?" Ahoska asked, round eyed "are you sure you can stand" taking my arm so that I could lean on her. She was a real beauty, that one, and I'd have happily stood there a while longer, telling her at length about my near death experience and how it was all in a day's work for a sergeant like me. I would have done too, if the Geonosians hadn't very un-sportingly chosen that moment to score a hit on the gunships port wing, sending us spiralling down towards the earth.

I remember distinctly thinking "Oh come on, that's just not fair!"


	4. Backs Against the Wall

Chapter 3: Backs against the wall

(_I almost left out the chapter, because most of this chapter is spent repeating the episode _Landing at Point Rain_. However in the end I decided to keep it in, as I thought it was quite fun hearing about it from a different perspective, and because the events were so important to Hawk that it wouldn't make much sense if he didn't mention them_)

I expect there are plenty of people who've been in more crash landings than I have, my old chief Skywalker for one, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few people have been shot down twice in one day; but I seriously doubt if anyone besides yours truly has been shot down twice in one day _without a break in-between crashes_! I mean to say, once a chaps been sucked out of an exploding LAAT, slammed into another gunship after a brief free fall, hung on for dear life and then been pulled to safety by a couple of Jedi riding in said gunship; well one feels as if he's had his quota of petrifying near death experiences for the day. Apparently not.

The gunship suddenly gave a sickening lurch as an antiaircraft gun managed to land a shell on our port wing, sending us careering towards the desert sand. Luckily the hit wasn't nearly as serious as the one that had done for my original transportation, the ship didn't disintegrate and we weren't bathed in a sea of liquid flame; but that didn't stop me shrieking in terror just as loudly as I had done before, once again fortunately drowned out by the cacophony of our descent. A tip if you are ever in a crashing gunship, brace yourself, but not too tight; if you don't hang on you'll be shaken to pieces, but if you're too stiff you'll brake your arms and legs on impact. Also pray that you're crashing onto something relatively soft like snow or sand, and hope it's not rock or concrete. Mind you, whatever you do, it'll still hurt like hell.

Smashing into the planetary floor of Geonosis the gunship proceeded to perform a couple of barrel rolls before eventually grinding to a halt, half buried in the sand and on its side. Amazingly I don't think there were any casualties (save the pilot, I reckon he bought it), Captain Rex and both the Jedi were on their feet in an instant, Skywalker heaving the gunships door aside before yelling "come on get up, we have to keep moving!"

As far as I was concerned Master Skywalker could stick his orders were the sun rarely shines, but as telling him this wouldn't have done me any good I nodded and shouted "come on boys, lets stamp some bugs!" ensuring that a dozen or so clone troopers eagerly charged out ahead of me, thereby creating a human shield to any incoming blaster fire. There was plenty of that to be sure; the Geonosians had set up several heavy blasters in cliff top bunkers over looking us and giving them a perfect firing position. It was obviously suicide to venture out from behind the cover afforded to us by the downed Lartie, no one in his right mind would have charged the Geonosian entrenchments. I will allow you to come to your own conclusion, therefore, when, but seconds later, General Skywalker vaulted over the severed wing of the gunship and hurtled towards the Geonosian battle lines, cleaving bugs down left right and centre.

Ahoska of course couldn't let her master get all the glory and shouted to us excitedly "they're falling back!" before springing out of cover and racing after Skywalker like an orange streak of lightning. Like hell they are I thought, but of course had no choice but to once again clamber to my feet and charge, keeping my head well down, after the Jedi. We managed to push the bugs back about half way to their guns, before once again taking cover behind a low rock wall. Skywalker, Ahoska and Rex seemed to be debating our next move, but I couldn't make out what they were saying, apparently they'd decided that another death or glory (or more likely just death) charge was in order, and so the command was given and we were leaping from safety and legging it as fast we could across the open ground. A couple of clones went down on my left as soon as we went over the top and I felt a blaster bolt nick the side of my helmet, but I kept running and firing for all I was worth, and somehow, and to this day I'm not sure how we did it, we broke through the Geonosians and forced them to retreat.

No rest for the weary of course, even as the last bug was cut down the General was ordering us to advance, leading the way down a winding canyon. At the time I had neither the foggiest idea where we were making for or indeed where we even were, other than apparently nowhere near the landing zone. I suppose it was probably best that I didn't know what was around the next bend; otherwise I'd have dropped all pretences and just run off screaming, for as we left the canyon we were suddenly faced with a titanic dam. It reminded me of the _Vacuum _dam on Namboo, except that whereas that massive concrete construction was for peacefully harvesting energy from the pent up lake behind it, this was something altogether more terrifying. It must have been at least 700 feet high, bristling with turrets, and the walkway running across its top were swarming with droids. Now if ever there was a time when a soldier was perfectly entitled to lubricate his own armour, this I think you'd agree, was it. But rather than stand still wetting myself I instead dived for cover before the Seps opened fire.

A dozen of my comrades weren't so lucky, being scythed down were they stood by a barrage of blaster fire from the gigantic fortress towering above us. From where I crouched, firing off the odd blast on my rifle, more to relive my feelings than because I thought it would do any good, I could once again make out Skywalker and Co to my left having another board meeting as to what to do now. Eventually they reach a decision, one which I supported whole heartedly; Skywalker and his Padawan would use grapples to scale the wall, while the rest of us provided covering fire. This suited me right down to the ground, as long as I could keep my head down I could just sit back and let the Jedi do all the work. Between taking cover and letting off volleys of shots aimed in the general direction of the wall, I watched in no little amazement as the two Jedi scaled the side of the ravine, before jumping on to the top of the dam. Once there they began cleaving through the droid defenders, which at Captain Rex's command, we also targeted, although I can't say that it looked like they needed the help. After only a few minutes of fighting the top of the dam seemed to be clear, at least until we suddenly could make out the blue shields of a couple of droidekas which had somehow materialised as if from nowhere on either side of Skywalker and Ahoska.

Immediately Rex roared at us to cover him, before sprinting across to the base of the fortress, firing his grappling piton and clambering up to the aid of the Jedi at incredible speed, leaving me in command. Now that the danger posed by the fortress had been reduced, with fire only coming from the occasional turret, presumably because most of the gunners had been sent to reinforce the defenders on the fortresses battlements, I became slightly more daring (although never foolishly so). It helped moral and bolstered my reputation for the men to see me dragging the wounded to safety and roaring encouragement to Rex and the Jedi. A moment later I was thrown bodily to the ground by an explosion the like of which I'd never seen before (nothing to when I saw the _Death Star_ go up of course, but that was years later), the entire fortress was blasted sky high, chunks of concrete the size of AT-TE's raining down amidst a sea of dust which washed over us. How Skywalker, Ahoska and Rex survived I have no idea, but I expect some Jedi trickery of one kind or another played a part in it.

Well we were through at last, so we pressed on to link up with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ki-Adi-Mundi, if that they were still breathing of course. It turned out they were, although barely in the case of Kenobi and his lads, who'd taken a real pasting. Mundi's lot had fared better, although they'd lost most of their tanks and had it pretty bad going through some Geonosian tunnels by way of a shortcut. The idea made my blood run cold; one thing I was certain off, I'd chance desertion before I'd ever set foot in any vile bug-infested catacombs, come hell or high water. It's funny just how wrong a one can be sometimes isn't it?


	5. Up Up and Away

Chapter 4: Up up and away!

At the time of the second battle of Geonosis I was, as I've already said, but a humble sergeant; so when it came to the council of war, at which Kenobi, Mundi, Skywalker, Tano, Captain Rex, and Commanders Cody and Jet, tried to work out a way of breaching the enemies defences, to get at the droid factory beyond, I played no part. However, not being a common trooper either, I wasn't actually excluded from the meeting either, so I hovered nearby. I didn't like what I heard one little bit.

Obi-I-Know-Everything-Kenobi was speaking casually about Skywalker and Tano "taking a small squad through the shield" adding even more nonchalantly that we should endeavour to get "as close as you can to their gun employments". I stood in horrified silence, listening to the Jedi speaking easily about charging artillery batteries, sonic cannons and heavy blaster emplacements, as if he was discussing nothing more life threatening than a stroll down to the bloody pub! If there had been even the slimmest of possibilities that I could have run for it or faked illness, I'd have chanced it; but there just wasn't time.

Even as my brain tried desperately to come up with some possible avenue for escape Captain Rex clapped me on the shoulder and said "well Hawk, what's your count so far?"

"Count" I replied stupidly "what count?"

Rex chuckled "the general and the commander like to play a little game, compare kill counts after a battle and see who has the highest score. From what I've heard you were the best shot in the academy the year you graduated, maybe you might be almost as good as me" he added grinning.

For once my fraudulent reputation was in fact accurate; I may be an abject coward and spineless liar, but I am a pretty good shot, if I say so myself. Whether I could kill more bugs and clankers than Rex didn't bother me in the slightest however, not because I've any moral objection to turning war into a game, but simply because I'd be too busy keeping my skin in one piece to worry about counting. But it fitted my character so I laughed and said "Captain, you're on!" I'd make up a number after the battle, something suitably impressive (assuming I was still in the realm of living of course).

It's a funny thing really; some times I've made it through an entire battle unscathed, and then at the eleventh hour, when I've foolishly begun to hope that it's all over, fate hits me in the back of the head with a lead pipe. For example on Naboo, survived the storming of the underground complex of that mad Sep scientist without a scratch, only to get infected by the Blue Shadow virus at the last minute. Bed ridden at deaths door for weeks, although I was in the care of a very attractive Pantoran nurse; every cloud has its silver lining. This wasn't one of those times; my part in the storming of the shield generator was over in seconds.

After we'd received the go-ahead to charge, General Skywalker sprinted towards the Geonosian defences with us clones hot on his heels. We passed through the red energy shield, which didn't hold us up for a second, even though it could comfortably have stopped a thousand gun artillery bombardment; strange that when you think about it. The Geonosians were hovering on each flank, blazing away at us with their sonic blasters; but I suppose we must have been difficult targets to hit because I didn't see many of our lads going down. Sonic guns are deadly up close, but not much use at long range.

I'd just begun to feel the smallest flicker of hope that I might just make it out of yet another bloodbath in one piece, when without the slightest warning my feet left the ground and I was suddenly being borne aloft by a Geonosian warrior. It was easily one of nastiest shocks I've ever had, including when I realised that they were the droids I was looking for. The monstrous creature had seized both of my shoulders in a grip I wouldn't have believed that one of these spindly bugs was capable of, whilst a second Geonosian appeared alongside me and grabbed hold of one of my legs. I say shock because for a few seconds I simply failed to grasp what was happening, but when I did I shrieked louder than I'd ever done before, trying desperately to blast them with the rifle I was somehow still hanging onto. I managed to get off a couple of shots, one of which grazed the flank of one of my attackers, before it was wrenched from my grasp and hurled towards the ground. After that I could do nothing but howl for mercy and struggle madly in a vain hope of breaking free of their iron clutches.

Early that same day I'd been blasted out of a burning gunship, smacked into a second and ended up hanging onto it for dear life. That was a foul experience, there's no two ways about it, but being carried off by those Geonosians was far worse. When I'd fallen to almost certain death, ended up flapping like a wind sock from the side of an LAAT, before being tugged inside by a couple of Jedi; the whole horrible incident had probably taken good deal less than a minute. We must have been flying along, with them gabbling away in that clicking language of theirs and me screaming for help, for over an hour, giving me plenty of time to dwell on the true horror of my situation. What made it so particularly terrifying was that I couldn't for the life of me think of a reason why the Geonosians could possibly want me alive, they couldn't want me as a hostage, I was just a trooper (well a sergeant, but they didn't know that), and they didn't just want to carry me aloft and then just let me drop, if they had they'd have done it ages ago.

Eventually I gave up howling for them to put me down (not to let me go, defiantly not to let go), when I had almost lost my voice, and instead just quietly gibbered in terror until we arrived at our destination. This turned out to be a vast temple, protruding out of the desert like the fossilized bones of some colossal prehistoric monster, a few spires and minarets still remained, but most lay broken, many of the walls had either caved in or looked on the point of doing so, whilst the roof had collapsed completely. We flew through the main gateway and towards a small hole in floor of the temple, just wide enough to admit a fully grown man (worse luck). Blackness and shadows seemed to flow from it, filling me with a nameless dread, and as I was dragged towards it I found my voice once more, shrieking and thrashing, but to no avail. With a great heave they forced me over the edge head first and carried me down into the hellish darkness of the tunnels below.

Something about the heavy blackness of those corridors made me fall silent at once, but struggle all the harder. As I was pulled along seemingly endless tunnels my eyes slowly accustomed themselves to the gloom, allowing me to just make out the twisted maze of passageways, like the inside of a giant ant hill, that I was slowly being taken deeper and deeper into bowls of. I must have been dragged along endless identical tunnels for at least half an hour when I suddenly thought of a possible way to break free from the Geonosians; ever since they had taken me down into these monstrous catacombs I'd been struggling with every ounce of strength I possessed, but suddenly I gave a great rattling gasp and went limp. My captors stopped at once, releasing me and laying me down on the floor of the tunnel, before stooping to examine me. That's when I attacked.

The Kaminoans decided, when they chose the equipment that we clones would carry into the field, that bayonets would be a waste of time and money to issue us with. After all, they reasoned, ninety five percent of the time we'd be fighting droids, against whom a bayonet would be no use at all. Well I say issue us with one just for that five percent, because a blade sure as hell comes in handy sometimes. I may not have had a bayonet, but I did have a non-regulation combat knife, which I drew now from its hidden sheath behind my breast plate and slashed one of the Geonosians across the throat. He fell back, screaming horribly, and clutching at his lacerated neck with both hands, whilst I sprang at his comrade, bearing him to the ground. Geonosians are insanely strong for their size, muscles like steel wires, but my superior weight and size saved me; pinning him to the ground with my knees I brought down my knife again and again, stabbing the bug until it lay still. I then silenced the first of my abductors, who was still writhing in a pool of his own green blood, before sinking to the floor exhausted.

I was alone in the darkness, utterly lost and armed only with a combat knife and a sonic blaster, taken from one of the dead bugs. I no idea how I was going to get out, or even what direction out was, my com-link could pick up nothing but static, and I felt sure that the sound of the resent struggle must have carried for miles. So began the single worst experience of my life, and considering the multitude of nightmarish situations I've lived through, that's saying a lot.


	6. They're Coming to Get You

Chapter 5: They're coming to get you...

I may be a coward, but I'm no fool. I chose to fight my Geonosian captors, rather than give in, because I was more afraid of being dragged any deeper into that necropolis than I was of them killing me in a straight fight. The same principal applied now; I was terrified out of my wits, but rather than sit around whimpering and wait to be discovered my some more bugs, I, after only a few moments to get my breath back and take stock of my surroundings, set off in the direction I hoped was up and out. Although my helmet was equipped with a pair of compact and powerful torches, I decided against using them; every soldier knows that light is as good as sound when it comes to giving away your position to the enemy. Instead I made use of my night-vision filter built into my helmet, meaning that I'd hopefully be able to see any Geonosians before they saw me.

After perhaps half an hour of creeping as quietly as possible down pitch black passages, without seeing a soul, I suddenly turned a corner and stopped dead. About twenty feet away I could just make out a shadowy shape lying sprawled on the floor of the tunnel. My natural instinct was to turn and run back the way I had come, but something told me that whatever it was, it wasn't a Geonosian. Very slowly I edged forward until suddenly I realized what I was looking at, the dead body of a clone trooper. I rushed forward and examined him; he looked like he might have been one of Mundi's boys, his armour was cracked and his right leg horribly broken, with the bone sticking through in several places. He didn't look as though he'd received any wounds other than his shattered leg, and had probably died of shock and blood loss. At first I couldn't think for a moment how he'd come to end up down here, until I noticed the tracks in the sand of the tunnel floor; several sets of Geonosian footprints.

The bugs seemed to have dragged the unlucky trooper down here in the same way they had me, and then abandoned him when he died. This was both encouraging and extremely worrying; encouraging because at the back of my mind a growing fear had been that the Geonosians wanted to take living prisoners so that they could be eaten later. If they had deserted the clone when they found him to be dead that meant that they needed us alive. However the discovery was equally worrying because if they didn't want to eat us, and couldn't want to hold us as hostages, then why the hell did they want us? If I was right and this clone was one of Mundi's, then that meant that they'd probably captured him during the Jedi's shortcut through those mountain catacombs. If that was so then the bugs had carried him even further than they'd carried me, what was so important about taking living prisoners and carrying them away to these tunnels underneath this temple? I had no idea and wasn't going to hang around and find out.

I was about to straighten up and continue down the passageway when I suddenly noticed something out of the corner of my eye, against the wall of the tunnel. First I took it to be a long black stick, before realizing with a thrill of joy that it was the dead clone's blaster rifle. I darted forward and snatched it up; not wanting to leave the Geonosian weapon behind either, I transferred the strap from the rifle to the sonic blaster, hung it over my shoulder and then gripping the republic battle rifle firmly continued to advance along the tunnel, feeling uncharacteristically optimistic. That didn't last long.

Although I now carried a real weapon I was still hopelessly lost in the bowls of Geonosis and hadn't the faintest idea of the way out; all I could do was choose a direction and stick to it. Although I'd never seen the inside of a hive before I was becoming aware that something was not right about this one; they may look like overgrown houseflies, but Geonosians are clever buggers and I was prepared to bet that one of their warrens would be in pretty good nick. This place looked as though it hadn't been repaired in years, possibly even decades; I passed the occasional collapsed tunnel, the walls and ceilings were often cracked, and the air smelt of decay. I was trying to convince myself that this infernal maze had to be abandoned, deliberately ignoring the fact that the bugs wouldn't be taking their prisoners down here for their own entertainment, when suddenly I heard a noise that chilled my blood.

Ten feet ahead of me was a t-junction and as I froze, my heart pounding like sledgehammer against my breastplate, I could make out the sound of someone, or something, slowly shuffling along the right hand passageway towards me. Before I could do anything (run or hide) the walker appeared from around the corner and I gave in involuntary gasp of horror. It was a Geonosian, and _was_ is the right word, half of its face had been hideously burnt and its guts hung through a gaping wound in its stomach. The monstrous apparition turned sightless white eyes upon me and although it couldn't possibly be able to see me, as to the naked eye the tunnel was pitch black, it began to stagger towards me.

Logic told me that it couldn't see me, instinct told me otherwise. Without a seconds hesitation I brought my blaster rifle up, drew a bead on the Geonosian's heart and pulled the trigger. As I said earlier I'm a pretty good shot, but you didn't have to be at a range of a few feet; my shot punched a fist sized whole in the bug's chest. The Geonosian staggered violently with the force of the impact, righted itself, and kept on coming! At first I couldn't believe my eyes; this had to be some unspeakable nightmare, but while my senses refused to accept what they were seeing, my coward's instincts for survival took over once more. Targeting the Geonosian a second time I proceeded to empty the contents of my power pack into the creatures head, reducing everything from the shoulders up a bloody pulp. That stopped the fiend alright; it took one more ponderous step forward before collapsing at my feet and, after a good deal of twitching, lay still.

Whilst I leaned against the tunnel wall taking great shuddering breaths and fighting the urge to be violently sick, I suddenly leapt a good foot in the air. For one horrifying moment I thought the monster was returning to life, for it had begun to spasm and twitch once more, before realizing the truth. From the pulverized remains of the Geonosian's skull crawled a sickly yellow worm, almost 10 inches in length. The revolting creature extracted itself and began, with surprising speed to crawl towards me. Without a moment's hesitation I raised my boot and crushed the vile thing with a satisfying crunch. As I stood over the two corpses, that of the Geonosian and the worm that had crawled from its skull, I looked from one to the other and a horrible suspicion began to creep over me. The wounds that the Geonosian had suffered before I fought it were so horrific that it couldn't have possibly have been alive, therefore the only logical explanation, however mad it might sound, was that it hadn't been!

But from a lifetimes experience as a soldier I could tell anyone that people tend to stay dead once the spark of life has legged it for pastures new. So what had been responsible for making this bug's corpse so particularly energetic? The worm, that was the only explanation; whatever the hell the damn things were they must somehow be able to infest a host and then be able to control them. I shuddered as a foul thought occurred to me, could it be possible that these worms were the reason the Geonosians wanted living prisoners, to infect them? The idea was to monstrous to contemplate but try as I might I couldn't shake from my mind the vision of having one of those loathsome snakes shoved down my throat by a gang of undead Geonosians.

If I'd been anxious to escape that underground hell before my encounter with the demonic Geonosian, I was nothing short of desperate to do so afterwards. How that panic to see the sun again and the terror of the dark and the horrors it held didn't drive me stark staring mad I don't know. At the time I had no idea how long It had been since I'd been carried into those frightful catacombs, but I was able to work out afterwards that I must have been wandering around down there, dodging packs of walking corpses and the occasional living Geonosian, relying on energy pills as sleep would have been unthinkable, and eating and drinking the last of the meagre field rations that I had with me, for nearly two days.

I had all but given up hope that I would ever escape that hellish labyrinth when I heard a rasp of static on my communicator, which had been silent for so long. I stopped dead at once, trying to pick up the signal again, but when I finally did I could get no answer. However I realized that this signal might possibly lead me towards friends and safety, and so I cautiously followed it, simply heading in the direction of wherever the signal was strongest. My hopes that I was going to discover republic forces were dashed when I finally reached a coroner, peered around it, and felt my stomach tighten with fear. At least twenty or so undead Geonosians were slowly staggering along the tunnel, thankfully in the opposite direction from where I stood, and between two of them was dragged an unconscious figure. It was Jedi Master Luminara Unduli.

Even as I watched I saw the Jedi shake her head, look around her, and then pull herself free and jump to her feet. She was immediately surrounded by the Geonosians; any normal person would have been subdued in seconds, but not so Master Luminara. Even without her lightsaber, which she seemed to have lost, and with her hands tied, she was still a fearsome opponent. Delivering athletic kicks she downed a couple of her attackers, at one point sinking her foot deep into the rotting stomach of one of those undead demons. Only then did she seem to realize her position and attempted to contact General Kenobi, warning him to get out at all costs. However before Kenobi could answer or Luminara could say anything more, the communicator was knocked out of her hands and she was beaten to the ground by a dozen Geonosians.

Of course if I was a hero like Captain Rex or Commander Cody I would have charged from cover to the aid of the Jedi and then been torn limb from limb by that horde of undead monsters. Being the coward that I am I did no such thing, instead remaining in hiding as Luminara was overwhelmed by the Geonosians and carried away into the darkness. Don't get me wrong, if there had been any hope of rescuing her, with no danger to myself of course, I would have acted. Luminara was hardly a member of the "Oh you saved me you brave trooper (kiss, hug) how can I ever repay you?" brigade, but I would at least have got a thank you and a further boost to my undeserved reputation. As it was there were only two things that mattered, one; that if Luminara had been able to contact Kenobi that meant he had to be very close, and two; if the bugs had captured the Jedi and were dragging her off in _that_ direction, I should most defiantly be heading in _the opposite_ direction.

Turning I began to hurry away up the tunnel down which the Geonosians had come bearing their Jedi captive. I hadn't gone more than a few paces when I skidded to a halt, letting out a yelp of terror, ahead of me I heard the sound of running feet. However after my initial fear I realized that it wasn't the sickening _flap flap_ of Geonosian feet, but instead the honest crunch of Clone boots. I sped up, running full tilt around a corner and was suddenly blinded by the glare of a dozen torch beams and two lightsabers. "Don't shoot!" I shouted "for the Force's sake don't shoot!"

The blasters aimed at me were lowered and I was immediately surrounded by Clones "Holy Force its Hawk, thought you were dead sarge, what the hell are you doing down here, nice Sonic blaster sir" etc.

"Is it really you Hawk?" asked Anakin incredulously.

I saluted "yes sir, I was captured by the Geo's during the assault on the shield generator. They carried me off to these tunnels beneath the temple. I managed to kill my captors and I've been wandering around trying to find my way out ever since".

General Kenobi looked at me with something approaching amazement "you really are an exceptional trooper, Sergeant Hawk."

"Hawk" asked Cody seriously "have you seen anything of Jedi Master Unduli, she contacted us a few moments ago and we know she has to be very close?"

I groaned inwardly, if I said I had they'd be off in a flash after her, dragging me along too, curse them. But if I said I hadn't it would look pretty damn odd, as I'd just come in the direction she was being taken. After only a moment's hesitation I nodded "yes Commander, I caught a glimpse of her back there". I turned to the Jedi and tried to sound as much like a broken man as possible "I wanted to help her sir, but there was nothing I could do. I knew that I had to report to command that there was a Geonosian base down here, and if I was killed trying to save Master Unduli you might never know".

Kenobi placed a hand on my shoulder, his face full of sympathy "I know that a soldier such as you never wants to retreat Hawk, but you did the right thing. Every warrior needs to know how to look at the battle field as a whole and not just his own part in it. But know" he added encouragingly "you can follow your instincts and fight!"

My instinct at that particular moment was actually to kick the Jedi before me in the crotch and run like hell for the surface, but instead I saluted again and said "nothing quite like a bug hunt sir". And so I found myself among friends, but charging back into the Rancor's den. I found a little comfort in that at least I was no longer alone and that I had not yet seen a problem that couldn't be taken care of with a Jedi's lightsaber. There's a first time for everything I suppose.


	7. Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire

Chapter 6: Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire

After two days of sneaking around in those accursed tunnels you would have thought that once I had finally managed link up with Skywalker, Kenobi, Cody and a squad of troopers, my troubles were over. No chance. After I grudgingly informed Luminara's heroic rescuers that I had just seen her being dragged away down the tunnel, they charged back the way I had come, with yours truly right in the middle of my comrades (only an amateur coward skulks at the rear, what happens if the enemy attack from behind?).

We stampeded down the passageway and hadn't gone far before Kenobi ground to a halt so suddenly that I almost charging straight into him. Out of the darkness ahead of us, illuminated by the light from our torch beams and the steady blue glow of the Jedis lightsabers', came a crowd of staggering undead Geonosians, some even crawling across the tunnel ceiling. Of course Kenobi had to deliver his usual "I don't like the looks of this", which I personally considered the understatement of the century.

To make matters worse a chorus of groans and screeches from our left flank warned of another pack of the demons, meaning that we had nowhere to go but back. The nearest Geonosian gave a shrill cry and charged, hands extended, ready to pull its prey apart. Instantly we opened fire, while our Jedi commanders leapt towards the reanimated bugs, cutting them down as easily as they had done when the Geos had been alive. However to the horror of all, most of all yours faithfully, the Geonosians, even when cleaved in half and peppered with blaster bolts, continued to crawl, limp or in most cases run, towards us. One of the brutes lunged towards me, mouth gaping and arms akimbo; I took aim and pulled the trigger, and nothing happened. My blaster rifle clicked, indicating its need for a fresh power cell. In desperation I reversed my weapon and brought the heavy butt down as hard as I could on the top of the creature's skull, crushing it like an egg shell.

Even as I used my empty rifle as a club, swinging it left and right at any bug who came to close, I saw a couple of poor buggers shrieking as they were dragged away down side tunnels. At last Kenobi gave the order to disengage "back everyone, back! Take out the tunnel supports, it's the only way!" I didn't need telling twice I can assure you, backing away as fast as I could, whilst my comrades blazed away at the roof of the passage. The Ancient stone work cracked and collapsed under the weight of the blaster fire directed at, crashing down into the tunnel and crushing or ceiling off our foes. We sprinted across the chamber and crawled like rats along a tiny waist-high tunnel, narrowly escaping being flattened by the descending masonry ourselves.

"What were those things, we couldn't kill them?" gasped Skywalker.

Kenobi considered for a moment before saying thoughtfully "I've heard stories of a Genosian hive mind so powerful, so strong, that it can maintain its connection with its warriors even after they've died".

Skywalker exclaimed that was impossible, to which Kenobi replied sardonically that they did keep moving after they'd been cut up or shot down. I felt like screaming "who gives a droids piss whether it's possible or not, let's just get the hell out of here while we still can!" But as that wasn't an option so I saluted and said "Generals, I think that Master Kenobi is right. While I've been down here I encountered a Genosian warrior. Blowing holes in its chest didn't seem to bother it at all; I could only take it down my completely destroying its head". I decided against mentioning the worms, after all it was only a theory, one that I fervently hoped was wrong. Besides, knowing Kenobi, he'd probably want to get one as a specimen, meaning that we'd be down here for even longer.

"Hmmm" murmured Kenobi "I would say that that is conclusive evidence, whatever these creatures are, we're going to need reinforcements to take them out". He turned to Skywalker "call for reinforcements".

Skywalker checked his wrist communicator before shaking his head "there's no signal".

Kenobi sighed "we must be too deep underground". He turned towards troopers Gearstick and Shivers "you two, head back to the surface and contact Mundi. Tell him we need reinforcements".

My heart sank, why couldn't the Jedi have chosen me to be his messenger boy? I glared after the retreating backs of the troopers as they stooped to enter one of the labyrinths low tunnels, lucky buggers. I didn't feel so envious of them a few moments later however; after they'd only been gone for a minute or so we heard the sounds of gun fire and agonized screaming. We charged towards their source, but by the time we arrived both clones lay dead, each with his throat ripped out. I looked down at the slaughtered soldiers before me and shuddered, it could have been any of us (and more importantly it could have been me) lying there. The tunnel was deserted, thankfully, but telltale rustling from the blackness warned that the monsters couldn't be far away.

Skywalker stepped forward "obviously this thing's a lot more powerful than we assumed, I'm going to the surface to alert General Mundi myself". To which I wanted to reply 'here here! I'll just tag along if I may'.

But before I could come up with some half baked excuse to accompany the Jedi to back to the surface Kenobi shook his head "I think that would be a fool hardy move Anakin; we can't divide our force again. We don't have time to double back to the surface". Curse him and his sound military logic. "Every moment we waste puts Luminara in greater danger". As far as I was concerned the Mirialan Jedi could take her chances down here with the undead Geos, whilst we legged it to the surface as fast as we could pelt. After all, knowing Jedis, she'd probably been responsible for getting herself into the mess she was now in, and she could damn well get herself out of it again all by herself (I found out afterwards that I was entirely right on this account; she'd gone snooping around the temple without an escort (unless you count Buzz, Force rest his soul) and had then been jumped by the undead bugs and carried off).

But of course that never occurred to out heroic leaders, or I'm sure my worthy comrades, for without a moment's hesitation we began to advance in the direction I'd seen Master Unduli being taken. As we descended the air became thick and warm, laden by a sickening smell like rotting fish. At last Cody led the way to a low tunnel in the wall of the passageway, so low that we were forced to almost crawl to pass through it. Upon reaching the other side the air had become so sweltering and the smell so foul that even our stoic Jedi commanders were forced to pass comment on it.

"The air is warmer here, we must be getting close" said Kenobi, sounding almost pleased at the prospect.

"Forget the heat" coughed Skywalker "it smells down here". It smells down here, yet another magnificent understatement; the stench had me gagging, and I was wearing a helmet!

We rounded the next bend in the tunnel and froze, for before us was a great chamber, high as a cathedral and packed with undead Geonosians. However there was one Geonosian, and one Geonosian only, that held all our attention; the Queen. She was an enormous bug, standing perhaps seven feet high, with a vast egg laying tube (a naturalist friend of mine tells me it's called an ovipositor), perhaps fifty or sixty feet long and at least ten thick. And before this revolting creature stood Luminara, suspended helplessly in an energy trap; looking extremely small and fragile with that monstrous demon looming above her.

In that moment I was nearly fainting with fear, and was whispering silent prayers to the Force to save my sorry skin, when Skywalker (if you'll believe me) raised an eyebrow and said "I've got a bad feeling about this". I could have strangled him right there and then.

Kenobi was looking at the disgusting thing with something approaching wonder "it must be the Queen".

"Any sign of Luminara?" Skywalker asked Cody, although I'm damned if I know why, as I could see her large as life, even without the use of my helmets night-vision filter.

Cody could probably see her as well as I could, but being the conscientious bugger he always was, he lowered his own night-vision lens into place, just to make doubly sure "I see her, she's suspended near the throne".

"Perfect, what about Poggle?" At this I started slightly, for it was the first I'd heard that the Archduke of Geonosis was scampering around down here; but sure enough there the old villain was, leaning on his walking stick and standing beside the Queen.

"He's speaking with the Queen".

That was all Skywalker needed and began dishing out instructions to Kenobi and us clones, before Kenobi stepped in with his usual slow and steady lecture. The two Jedi's argued back and forth for a short while until they finally decided on a plan of attack, if you could call it that. Kenobi, and for as long as I live I'll never know why, wanted to talk to the giant Geonosian; apparently to discover why they'd nabbed Luminara, what exactly was the deal with the zombies and all manner of other idiotic questions. Meanwhile we were to take up positions around the chamber, getting ready to turn on our torches when the Jedi gave the word. Kenobi said that as these Geo's were used to living underground the beams of light would blind them temporarily. Personally I thought that if these creatures weren't overly bothered by blaster bolts or lightsaber blades they wouldn't be quaking in their boots at the idea of bit of light. Needless to say I took up my position as close to the exit as possible.

From where I stood I watched as the Jedi strode purposefully forward and right up to where Luminara hung suspended, Poggle stood glaring and the Queen towered over head. I was too far away to make out anything that was said but got the distinct impression that things weren't going well. Kenobi seemed to be speaking to the Queen, who apparently didn't like what she was hearing one bit, for after only a few moments realised a terrible screeching howl of rage. The crowd of Geonosians, both living and dead tightened around the two Jedis; Skywalker immediately drew his lightsaber, but was restrained by Kenobi. Poggle's guards stepped forward and disarmed both of them, leaving them utterly defenceless.

Things went from bad to worse when an egg was produced, from which emerged one of the disgusting yellow worms I'd seen earlier, which Poggle took and slowly walked towards Luminara. Well I could see how this was going to end; with Kenobi, Skywalker and Luminara all reduced to mindless slaves to this Geonosian demon, and us clones either dead or with worms eating our brains. It was time to leave I decided, and began to slowly edge towards the exit. I'd discarded my republic rifle by now, instead reverting to the Geonosian sonic gun I'd picked up from one of my dead captors. I held the alien weapon tightly, keeping it trained on the nearest Geo.

Suddenly Kenobi roared "Cody now!" prompting my comrades to dash forward and bathe the Geonosians with the stark white light of their torch beams. The Queen and her subjects howled in pain, covering their eyes, and allowing Kenobi and Skywalker to dash forward and free Luminara (and capture Poggle, although I didn't notice that at the time). The undead bugs weren't stunned for long however, and started to pour in on the Jedi and the clones from every direction.

Now I think it's fair to say that I'd gone through enough on Geonosis to have the bravest of men reduced to a nervous wreck; and as I'm a perverse coward, you can only imagine how I was feeling by this point. I therefore don't think that I can be blamed for what happened next. Forgetting about being finally revealed as the fraud that I am, forgetting that to be seen to run away from battle now could mean execution, forgetting everything except the need to escape, I screamed in terror and sprinted away up the corridor. Behind me I could hear the sound of blaster fire and collapsing stone work, making me run all the harder.

Out of the darkness before me rose up a dozen Geonosians, there can't have been more than five or six, but at the time it seemed like there were thousands of them. I didn't even slow down, but simply lowered by sonic blaster and began blazing away. I don't know if the sonic gun is designed to deal with the undead, but if it isn't it turns out the weapon is bloody good at it. Each impact from one of the glowing yellow spheres of light caused the bug it hit to fly backwards, thin limbs and wings disintegrating like tissue paper. All the while I was screaming "please don't kill me, I'm a Separatist, I'm Geonosian, oh Force please leave me alone" and words to that effect.

All of a sudden I realized, with no little amazement, that the last of the undead horrors had fallen and my path to freedom was clear. I sprinted down another tunnel and then felt my heart leap, for ahead of me was light, not the stark white of torch beams or the sickly glow of the audience chamber of the Queen, but daylight. Around the next corner I discovered the source, a shaft leading from the tunnel ceiling all the way to the surface. Instantly I leapt and began to climb as fast as I could. As I neared the top I suddenly heard voices below me and glancing down saw the Jedi Masters and my clone comrades beginning their assent. Only then, with freedom so close at hand, did I realize what I'd done, and the true horror of the situation nearly made me let go of the wall of the shaft. I had run away, abandoned my companions and my officers, and shown my true colours at last as a coward and a liar. My reputation would be destroyed, I would be sent back to Kamino in disgrace for testing and re-evaluation, before being executed (although the dear old Kaminoans would refer to it as cancelation of course).

The irony of it was simply to cruel, after all I had gone through, after surviving all the nightmarish situations of the past few days, my fall from the gunship, the battle at the great wall, my capture and all the desperate fights against these monstrous Geonosians down here in the dark. To have survived all that and to have fallen at the last hurdle was too much to bear. My mind was distracted briefly from my dreadful future when a great explosion of sand and stone shot up the shaft beneath me, blasting myself, the Jedi and the remaining clones out into the temple. We raced out of the building to avoid being crushed as the walls and roof of the ruin finally gave up the struggle to remain standing and collapsed. We all stood either, gasping for breath, looking up at the sun, shaking hands with friends, or in my case standing rooted to the spot in terror, waiting for the blow to fall.

After a short conversation the three Jedi approached me and I felt my stomach fill with liquid lead, so this was it. Kenobi stood before me and to my amazement wore not an expression of rage or angry confusion, instead he was smiling. "Sergeant Hawk, during this campaign you have truly proven yourself to be an exceptional trooper". I could do nothing but gape in stupefied amazement (lucky I was wearing a helmet).

"I saw your incredible escape from the crashing LAAT during the initial landings" said Skywalker, chuckling as though he still couldn't quite believe that I'd really done it (that made two of us). "Now if that wasn't exceptional I don't know what is".

"And" put in Luminara smiling kindly at me "I hear that you wanted to try to rescue me singlehandedly earlier, but that you went against your instincts and followed your duty. That shows that you posses both bravery and intelligence".

"During the battles that we both took part in the catacombs of the Progate Temple" said Kenobi "I witnessed you exhibit incredible fighting prowess. But" he added laying a hand on my mystified shoulder "all of your earlier deeds pale beside what you did just now". Here it comes I thought, next stop Kamino. "When you, without a moment's hesitation, charged ahead of us, clearing those tunnels of enemies that would otherwise have blocked our escape and doomed us all, alone and unaided". The old windbag looked as though he was on the verge of patriotic tears at the supposed selflessness of my actions "Then Hawk, then, you proved yourself to be more than exceptional, you proved yourself to be an ARC trooper".

Earlier I said that being picked up by those Geonosians during the attack on the shield generator was the worst surprise of my life, and it was, but it wasn't the most surprising. For a moment I could do nothing but stand, my mouth opening and shutting soundlessly, before my faculties reasserted themselves "Thank you sir, but I'm really not sure if I deserve it" modesty is the most important part of being a hero you know "any clone could have done what I did, I was just in the right place at the right time". Of course they wouldn't hear me say a word against my heroics.

And that's how I became an ARC trooper and a republic hero, heralded from Coruscant to Kashyyyk as the man who saved the lives of three Jedis and a squad of clones (amazing how things get blown out of all proportion isn't it?). Captain Rex told me he always knew I had it in me, Ahoska and Barriss Offee thanked me for saving their Masters (Ahoska even hugged me, so some good came out of Geonosis anyway) and I was awarded the Republic Cross for bravery above and beyond that expected of a clone trooper in the face of the enemy (I know I couldn't believe it either). Of course becoming an ARC trooper meant that I was thrust into more horrible situations than ever before, all over the galaxy. It came with a few perks of course, a much nicer uniform, a lot of respect and a nice safe year as an instructor of the clone recruits on Kamino (my sort of warfare).

On the back wall of my study hang the various trophies and memorabilia of my soldiering carrier, the lightsaber that I claimed after Order 66, the lever-action blaster that I stole from a bounty hunter, my trusty old blaster pistol that saved my hide more time than I care to mention, the Ewok club I picked up on Endor, and so many more. However in pride of place hangs the Geonosian sonic gun that I used to make good my escape from those hellish tunnels all those years ago. The memories of that battle are as clear and as vivid as though it were yesterday, when so many others have faded in my mind, becoming only vague recollections of explosions and death. Although I didn't take a scratch during the Second Battle of Geonosis I still bear the mental scars to this day; I'm terrified of the dark, heights, confined spaces, flying and, more so than anything else, bugs!

_(Authors note: I hope that you enjoyed this story, please review and tell me if you think I should write a sequel)_


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